Light Pad: Slide & Negative Viewer

The Slide and Negative Viewer may look like a specialized photography tool, but the easiest way to understand it is this: It's a very thin, flat surface that provides an even amount of light from underneath. You can use that light to look at things, work with things or photograph things.

Get started

Powering up

• Place the light pad on a clean, flat table.
• Plug it in. 
• Use the provided USB cable to connect to a wall charger, computer, laptop, or suitable USB power bank.
• Push the power button on the light pad.
• The flat surface should light up.
• The light box provides three brightness levels. Use the brightness control to choose the level that works best for what you are viewing or photographing.

Viewing slides and negatives

The light pad is designed to make transparent photographic materials easy to see.

You can use it to view:

• Film negatives
• Film strips
• Mounted slides
• Other transparent photographic materials

Viewing slides

Slides are positive photographs, so you should normally be able to see the picture in its original colors. Adjust the brightness if necessary.

Viewing negatives

Negatives look different because the colors and tones are reversed. That's normal. The light shining through the negative makes the photographic image visible. You can examine the negative, move it around, and decide which photographs you want to preserve before you begin digitizing them.

Using the magnets to hold curled film

If your film is curled or doesn't lie flat, use the supplied magnets to hold it gently against the light box. Don't force old film flat. Let the magnets hold it in place without putting unnecessary pressure on the film.

Photographing slides with your phone

Once you have found a slide you want to preserve, you can use your smartphone to photograph it. The DigitPro provides the light behind the slide, while your phone takes the picture.

Step 1: Place the slide

• Place the slide on the illuminated surface.
• Adjust the position so the entire photograph is visible.
• Adjust the brightness if necessary.

Step 2: Position your phone

• Open your phone's regular Camera app.
• Hold the phone directly above the slide.
• Try to keep the phone parallel to the surface of the light box rather than holding it at an angle.
• Move the phone closer or farther away until the slide fills most of the screen, while keeping the entire photograph visible.

Step 3: Check the picture

Before taking the photograph, make sure:

• The entire slide is visible.
• The phone is straight.
• The picture is in focus.
• There are no obvious reflections.

If necessary, tap the picture on your phone's screen to help it focus.

Step 4: Take the picture

• Hold the phone steady and take the photograph.
• Look at the picture you just took.
• If it isn't sharp or there is a reflection, simply try again.

Step 5: Crop and save

• Use your phone's photo-editing tools to crop away anything outside the slide.
• Then save your digital copy.
• Because a slide is already a positive photograph, you normally do not need to invert the colors.

Photographing negatives with your phone

The process is similar to photographing slides, but there is one important difference: A negative must be converted into a normal-looking photograph after you take the picture.

Step 1: Place the negative

• Place the negative on the illuminated surface.
• If it curls, use the supplied magnets to gently hold it flat.
• Adjust the brightness if necessary.

Step 2: Position your phone

• Open your phone's regular Camera app.
• Hold the phone directly above the negative.
• Try to keep the phone parallel to the surface of the light box.
• Move the phone closer or farther away until the photograph fills most of the screen without cutting off any part of the image.

Step 3: Check the picture

Before taking the photograph, make sure:

• The entire frame is visible.
• The phone is straight.
• The image is in focus.
• There are no obvious reflections.

If necessary, tap the image on your phone's screen to help it focus.

Step 4: Take the picture

• Hold the phone steady and take the photograph.
• Don't be concerned if the picture looks strange.
• That's normal.
• A negative has reversed colors, so the photograph on your phone will initially look like a negative.

Step 5: Convert the negative

To turn the negative into a normal-looking photograph, use a film-scanning app or suitable photo-editing software that can invert the image. Some film-scanning apps are designed to do this automatically.

Once you're comfortable with one photograph, you can start working through the rest of your collection.

Tips for taking better pictures

Keep the film clean

• Dust and fingerprints can become surprisingly obvious in a digital photograph.
• Handle film by the edges when possible and gently remove loose dust before photographing it.

Keep the phone steady

• A shaky phone can produce a blurry picture.
• If you're going to digitize a large collection, a simple phone stand can make the process much easier.

Try different brightness levels

• The brightest setting isn't necessarily the best setting.
• If the picture looks washed out or you see reflections, try lowering the brightness.

Keep the phone straight

• This is one of the easiest ways to improve your results.
• Try to keep the camera directly above the center of the film.

Don't rush

• You're preserving old photographs.
• Take a few extra seconds to make sure each picture is sharp, complete, and free of obvious reflections.